Dissidia Calamitas Infinita NT/Fallen Cradle/Decision
Right. I managed to get out of Fallen Cradle's 2nd cradle- sphere where White bird's influence is the strongest. I can still feel White bird's influence over me, but at least the solid ground of the first stratum provides a better sense of security. My body is not completely healed from the Vial, so might as well come up with a better plan to destroy White bird. Range approach is out, I can probably beat it at close range, but its auto-repair capability is a persistent roadblock. My best bet is to down it with a powerful strike, but there's always a possibility of it fleeing. Goddamn it...! I was so close to destroying it. If only there's a way to stop it from escaping... Footsteps...another warrior? Going by the sound from the cracked surface floor, it looks like it's just one person. It's Evon. Evon? That's right...Evon said he's a mage. I kept thinking about the botany topic that I forgot that he's a mage, too. ---- ;Evon: Ruger? ;Ruger: Hey. ;Evon: Are you alright? I was researching the machinery around here and there was this large laser going against an energy wave in the distant snowfield. ;Ruger: It's spread to here, huh? ;Evon: I don't even want to know what could've happen if the wave wasn't scattered. Does White bird not care about it? Wait, what you don't mean "to here"? ;Ruger: I shot White bird with that laser. ;Evon: You what? ;Ruger: I fought White bird, head-to-head in a shootout, and- ;Evon: No, not that! What the hell? Your 'shootout' could've taken out the entire Domain and everything in it! ;Ruger: Don't worry, I prioritized in shooting down White bird. I mean, it's not like I didn't neutralize the wave as well. ;Evon: Well, did you manage to shoot it down? ;Ruger: Sadly no. I only managed to shot off its right arm. But I've already have a pretty good grasp in how to destroy it. You're a mage, right? ;Evon: Yep. But what does that have to do with...whatever that you just mentioned? ;Ruger: Are you interested in helping me destroying White bird? I need help in- ;Evon: Slow down, first you say you went on ahead gunning this summon, then you said you have an idea to destroy it, and you're recruiting? ;Ruger: Yeah. I'll split White bird's parts with you. Since it can process Aether to such a degree, it wouldn't be out of the question that it'll help in your research. ;Evon: Ruger, are you alright? ;Ruger: What? ;Evon: You sound desperate. ;Ruger: Look, if you don't want to help, it's fine. I'll just come up with something else- ;Evon: That's not what I meant. Why are you so deadset on destroying White bird? ;Ruger: Didn't you hear from Delta? The longer I coexist with it, the stronger it gets. ;Evon: You're lying. What exactly is that Summon to you? ;Ruger: I don't know what you are talking about. ;Evon: I'll consider your offer if you tell me the truth. ;Ruger: .... White bird- reminds me of someone dear to me. She's...a special woman, and her control of Aether is eerily similar to that of White bird's. ;Evon: What happened to her? ;Ruger: She's dead. ;Evon: I'm sorry. ;Ruger: Well, it...can't be helped; it's either her dying or the world gets glassed. ;Evon: ...You killed her, didn't you? ;Ruger: Yeah. Fighting White bird brings back this sensation as if I'm fight- killing her again. ;Evon: I don't know what happened between you and that woman, but you have to calm down. You're projecting onto White bird. ;Ruger: I know it's not her. But I can't help it, even being in the vicinity of its control of Aether is driving me up the wall. ;Evon: Get a grip. You expect to beat White bird in this state? At this rate, even with my help, it won't change the outcome. Remember what Delta said? This place maybe what ties you and White bird. But what you remember is not the same as it. ;Ruger: Your point? ;Evon: You're insulting the memory of the woman dear to you by forcibly overlapping her with White bird. ;Ruger: ... ;Evon: Look, obviously killing her is not a pleasant memory for you. But it would be even more insulting to her if that one moment is all you can remember her about. If she is truly someone dear to you, the best you can do, is to remember her as-is. All the good and the bad. ;Ruger: You're right... I'm sorry. ;Evon: Hey, it's alright. ;Ruger: I'm still going to destroy White bird though. I'm not wasting my shootout. ;Evon: Fair enough. I'll take up your offer. You have a plan, right? Let's hear it. ;Ruger: Alright. Do you know any magic that can cover a large spread? ;Evon: Sure. I specializes in multi-elemental magic; thunder, fire, blizzard, even meteor. I can project a defensive shell as well, but the range isn't as large. ;Ruger: Huh. ;Evon: What's wrong? ;Ruger: That's a lot of magic for a botanist. ;Evon: You just nearly wiped out a domain, and you're surprised at multi-elemental magic? ;Ruger: I can't use them. ;Evon: An all too common tale of min-maxxers. ;Ruger: Uh-huh. Well, back to my point. For a limited time, I can channel a form of magic that allows me to rend causality. Remember the laser? Anything hit by it will be erased, negating any sort of regeneration. ;Evon: Guess it's a good thing that Fallen Cradle is in ruins to begin with. ;Ruger: It also wrecks my body post usage. I managed to pull myself out of the area with a Recovery Vial, but I'm operating on a very limited budget here. ;Evon: How limited? ;Ruger: I have only 1 Vial left. ;Evon: Ouch. ;Ruger: Do you have any medical supplies from your world? I'll be willing to trade. ;Evon: Medic? Well, we use potions, but Iae can offer more efficient healing with her magic. ;Ruger: I wanted to correct myself; I'm operating on a limited budget and time. ;Evon: Really pushing the definition of "limit" here. At least you managed to put a dent on White bird. ;Ruger: Sort of? White bird has already reconstructed a right arm to replace the one that I shot. ;Evon: So it bypassed your null-regeneration shot? ;Ruger: I said replace, not regenerate. Even if White bird constructs itself a new arm, its system connecting to the right arm won't run properly, because it has been distorted to "it was not built with a right arm". ;Evon: Can't you fire that laser again? ;Ruger: Using entire surge for that one shot drastically shortens my active time. Compared to White bird who seemingly has limitless reserve, it's a safer bet for me to maintain a consistent output as long as possible. ;Evon: Sorry to interject, but I just remembered that we're divulging our plans within the Domain of White bird. ;Ruger: From the shootout, I learned that White bird is can grow stronger from linking with me, but won't take in new information. It can't adapt. ;Evon: You sure? ;Ruger: There's more; my memory of the Fallen Cradle isn't the same as White bird's. If a Domain takes after the Summon's memory, so why does my version takes precedence? ;Evon: White bird ego isn't strong- or doesn't have one to push its version. ;Ruger: Correct. It's simply running on a regulated set of commands. Since it assumes that its right arm is now working properly, I want capitalize its crippled side and burst it down at close range. The problem is that if White bird keeps moving away, this will drag the fight into a battle of attrition. ;Evon: Flanking it from the right and destroy it before you run out of gas. Gotcha. So where do I fit in this? ;Ruger: I need someone that can attack in a large spread area to limit its movement. Firepower is not that important; what I need is a consistent and large cover fire. Your magic can do that, right? ;Evon: It's not impossible for me to switch focused magic forms into arrays. But what about its movement; doesn't White bird usually covers itself with the snowstorm? ;Ruger: Use me as the target. Since I'm engaging at close range, the spread will likely hit White bird large body first and give me room to react. ;Evon: You serious? ;Ruger: I can't say it's completely fool-proof, but I hold a large advantage over White bird at close range. If I can get near it, and it can't fly out, we can win this. ----